Category Archives: Events

It’s true, I’m making an appearance on my own blog. What will she write about after being MIA so long, one would ask. There really aren’t enough words or time or ears with that much storage to spare. So let’s cover a little bit of my favorite things and call this a trifecta cameo!

All Things Wine

Oh this winery business…

“What made you do this?” We get asked that a great deal. Honestly, I think we knew we had something and we knew we had to start somewhere. Where it has gone from there has been incredibly and strangely fascinating. From farmers’ markets to Vegas to video features at Hot Mixology to a (fingers-crossed) tasting room in the works, my winemaker and I have learned a great deal. Among those wise-owl moments, we’ve decided small yet progressive growth is the way we drink it down best. We’ve added more retailers (heya, Boise Airport and Hailey, ID); We’ve added more events (hint: You’ll find us in the mountains this summer – specifically the Ketchum farmers’ market and a festival in Stanley and Weiser for that small thing called the Total Solar Eclipse). We’ve also added more wine, including two red blends we released last November and – hold my glass while I do The Carlton – two new flavors of Jalapeno Wine Lemonade to release this summer. You read that right.

The Ambassador – 75% Syrah, 25% Grenache. Horse Heaven Hills AVA

Never fear, we’re still dealing with the usual suspects for 2017 (both farmers’ markets in downtown Boise, Savor Idaho, the Eagle Food & Wine Festival, a plethora of First Thursdays in Downtown Boise) and we’re adding events all the time. I’ve attempted to harness my web design skills and integrated an event calendar in the sidebar on the right so you can check out where we’re at month to month. Turns out my design skills haven’t aged as well as our Syrah-Grenache did. I know, you’re shocked.

I’ve still got loads of events to add to the calendar, so if you don’t see what you think you should see, head over to our Facebook page for the real-time scoop. Don’t ask me to Tweet about it in a timely fashion – I’m a cusp millennial/Generation X’er who was not raised by helicopter parents, is married to a full-on traditional Generation X’er and I am an old soul. Translation: I think social media is fun and interesting, but I also want to be left alone now and then to read a !@#$ book.

Which is an odd and unrelated segue into…

All Things Workouts

Oh this fitness industry…

You might know by now that my outlook on health and fitness is a bit…real-world oriented. Meaning there are some fundamental things about the fitness industry I can’t get on board with (see: this post from way back). The obsession with abs and back sides and rules and being perfect is too much. I’ve been in the industry for over 10 years now and that false message of beauty is not getting any better, friends. However I am certainly 100% in support of a healthy and grateful mind, a body you can move and love and live in, nutrition that can sustain you instead of poison you and finding the size you feel was meant for you.

Truth be told, since my little addition of a defibrillator in 2015 and the coinciding quasi beta-blocker that came as part of the deal, I have noticed a few things:

1. Even if I want to, I simply cannot push my cardiovascular system to beat faster than it wants. I have no doubt this is a result of the medication, so I make it work. I can still sprint and get in a HIIT session so intense it makes the dog sweat watching me. My takeaway is: Push your body, but trust your body. Know the difference between breaking barriers that need to be broken and listening to warning signs.

2. Bodies change. Certainly after childbirth and certainly as we age. After you’ve played out your 20s it’s more important than ever to check your nutrition. It doesn’t matter how fit you are at 30, 40, 50…your metabolism has shifted and you may have encountered some changes in your health. Furthermore, even if you already had a healthy eating approach that worked for you in the past you will likely realize at some point it’s no longer cutting it. Adjust, pay attention, eat and workout in a way that will make your body happy to carry you into and well past your 60s.

3. Stop the crazy obsession with excuses. If you set out to begin a healthier lifestyle every week yet every week you let life get in the way, it will catch up to you. I am 35 years young and healthy with a genetic heart condition. There is one thing I know for sure: We are not invincible. Life is indiscriminate, things will pull you away from taking care of yourself and there will be brief moments you’ll have to allow it. But come back to you. Always come back.

And if you can’t do it for you, do it for…

All Things Whippersnappers

So maybe you don’t have kids or grandkids. Maybe you have dogs or squirrels. At any rate, overseeing the little ones requires a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears. Sometimes even from the children.

I have young kiddos so I’m usually dealing with various low-key shenanigans. When I hear “Mom, I need you to come look at this!” yelled from the bathroom I freeze in terror. When my son turned four in February we found ourselves meeting a whole new kid. This has been mostly fun except for I’ve realized raising a small boy quite possibly requires the skills necessary for raising a teenage girl. Combine that with the fact that my daughter is finishing up kindergarten and also learning some hard things in life as kids have to do, there are moments when I have to remember I need to teach these small humans how to deal with the crap of life.

I discovered this video and they love watching it. They also love it when their mom nearly loses her $#!+ and they can say, “Mom…breathe.”

Like this:

When you have so many circus balls up in the air, sometimes dropping one means it doesn’t immediately get thrown back into the mix. It gets picked up, dusted off and then some clown steals it and throws it in your face while shouting “Rookie!”. Such is the case with this poor blog these last couple months.

But know this, readers out there: I will always keep trying to juggle this circus (because I kind of love it).

This time I’m back to reveal some things we’ve been working on during the “slow months” (lies!) at the winery. in 2016, you’ll find us at many of the same places as last year, with some exciting additions.

This is not an exhaustive calendar as we’re always adding new events and tastings as they get organized, so check back periodically for updates. If you’d like to receive our (very sporadic) newsletter with occasional open house announcements and VIP promotions, simply email me at crystalpotter@potterwines.com with the subject line “Newsletter Subscription”.

*Important Note: You will find us every Saturday at BOTH farmers’ markets in downtown Boise through October. Giving this disclaimer right now saves me from typing in every Saturday date for the next six months. The Boise Farmers’ Market and The Capital City Public Market are our favorite homes away from home!

Tuesday the 12th: Women & Wellness event at Thrive Chiropractic. Come by and drink some wine and enjoy other fun life necessities! 5:30 to 7:30pm, located @ 04 S. Orchard St., Boise, 83705.

Saturday the 16th: Opening day of the Capital City PublicMarket. Last year we were visiting members and this year we’re happy to say we’re sticking around! Find us there every Saturday through October. Open 9:30am to 1:30pm, located downtown on 8th Street.

Saturday the 23rd: Taste 208.This year is the fifth anniversary of this event and our first year of participation. With 55 local and regional vendors serving samples of beer, wine and spirits, you hardly have a reason to miss this! 6-9pm, located at Payette Brewing, 733 South Pioneer Street (River St. between 12th and 14th).

The Boise Farmers’ Market

May:

In addition to all Saturdays at both farmers’ markets…

Friday the 20th: Wine, Women & Shoes.With a fashion show, wine tasting, designer shopping and shoes, this is bound to be a stellar evening! Proceeds go to women’s and children’s charities, so there’s lots to love here. 6:00 to 9:30pm @ The Boise Centre.

June (Idaho Wine Month!):

In addition to all Saturdays at both farmers’ markets…

Thursday the 2nd: First Thursday with Buy Idaho at the Ward Hooper Gallery. Sip on wine while you browse the iconic Idaho artists’ collections. Buy Idaho is also celebrating their 30th anniversary and will be selling their Commemorative 30th Anniversary Buy Idaho Calendar featuring beautiful scenic images by – you guessed it – Ward Hooper himself. 5:00 to 9:00pm, located @ 745 W Idaho St.

Friday the 3rd: First Friday at Whole Foods Boise. These fun food and drink events inside the store benefit local non-profits. There’s wine, beer, food, demos and even live music. Buy your ticket for $5 when you get there and come hang out with us! 4:00 to 7:00pm, located @ 401 S. Broadway.

Sunday the 12th: Savor Idaho.Don’t even slightly hesitate to get your tickets for this major Idaho wine event, as they always sell out! The Idaho Wine Commission and other sponsors do a terrific job putting on this soiree every year and we always look forward to it. 2:00 to 5:00pm, located @ Idaho Botanical Gardens.

Savor Idaho 2015

July:

All Saturdays at both farmers’ markets.

Psst! Stay on alert for an event thrown together with Boise Brewing this month! It’s gonna be SHANDY-TASTIC!

(Update: The above-mentioned event did happen on First Thursday in July and it was indeed shandy-tastic. If you missed hearing about it, it’s because you should be following along at our Facebook page. Go now, I’ll wait…)

Friday the 29th @ Canyon County Fair, inside the O’Connor Field House. The fine folks at Buy Idaho are including us in their showcase of Idaho-only booths! Stop by for samples and to purchase your own. 12 to 10pm, located at 2207 Blaine St, Caldwell, 83605.

August:

In addition to all Saturdays at both farmers’ markets…

Thursday the 4th: First Thursday at Salon Apothecary. There’s going to be wine (ours!), appetizers, a mobile botox party (it’s true!), and giveaways. This fun salon is owned by four ladies who are a hit to hang with and get styled by! 5-8pm. Find them in the Sola Salon store front at 1197 W Main St.

Watch for an update on our participation in Salsa Fest at North End Organic Nursery (Always on a Sunday in August, always a big spicy blast!).

September:

In addition to all Saturdays at both farmers’ markets…

Saturday the 24th: Eagle Food & Wine Festival. This is perhaps the most fun I’ve ever had as a vendor (and most events are pretty fun). I think it’s a mix of the attendees, the wineries and the food vendors involved. Plus Mary (the organizer) goes to great lengths to make this a super smooth and exciting evening. We never miss! 6:00 to 9:00pm, located @ Banbury Golf Course.

Eagle Food & Wine Festival 2015

October:

All Saturdays at both farmers’ markets. And…

Thursday the 6th: Downtown Boise First Thursday. Watch for us at Shift Boutique. Located@ 807 W Bannock St.

Thursday the 13th: Buy Idaho 30th Anniversary Celebration @ Boise Centre East. This event is free and open to the public – join in on the fun and peruse the tradeshow of Buy Idaho vendors (spoiler: We’re not the only winery). 11am – 6pm.

All Saturdays: The Indoor Boise Farmers’ Market. The weather outside may be frightful but this indoor market is sure delightful. Buy Christmas gifts – two for you, one for them. You know the drill. Keep enjoying local breads, produce, cheeses, sauces, baked goods, jams, wine, coffee…all the important things, through December. Located @ the corner of 8th & Fulton St. 9am – 2pm.

Every now and then I get the urge to lay some pictures on you. I know it’s hard for you to imagine me not running off at the fingers but I feel like October deserves less talk, more do. Less stress, more friends. Less complaining, more celebrating. Less quitting, more focus. Less depressing media, more pretty pictures. So I have those for you – the pictures, at least. It is no secret that my love for writing does not directly correlate to my photography skills. I once read that in order to have a blog everyone wants to read, you need damn good photos. *awkward moment of reflection* Looks like I’ll never be featured on Yahoo!

A little explanation about the pixels your eyes are about to dilate over: My winemaker and I have been up to a few things this month in the world of wine. We kicked off the month elbows-deep in grapes and peppers. We participated in the always-enjoyable Eagle Food & Wine Festival. From there we took a little write-off weekender with friends to Walla Walla wine country (Fact: My taste buds haven’t come home yet). Last but not least, we’ve got our annual Pumpkin Wine release coming up next weekend! What more appropriate way is there to wrap up your child’s trunk-or-treating excursion than with a bottle of festive vino? Wayyyyy better sugar high, folks.

Here’s October according to my camera:

2015 Grape and Pepper Harvest

Feast your eyes: Our local growers supplied us with over 1,000 lbs of peppers this year. Half of which got a spa treatment in apple wood smoke for our Chipotle Jalapeno Wine.

Pretty clusters all ready to go into the crusher. I’m cheating a bit here by adding last year’s photo. Funny thing: All Syrah grapes look the same! And this year Yours Truly didn’t get any photos before they went into fermenters. Yet you still love me. You can read all about what Syrah harvest looks like for us here.

Eagle Food and Wine Festival

This was our second year at this event. You can read my recap of our lovely first experience last year here. This year we were paired alongside Bardenay Eagle Restaurant and Chef Travis, who is definitely a culinary inspiration here in the valley.

I don’t know how Mary, the savvy organizer of this tremendous event, gets the weather right every time.

This event is to-date my favorite because of the wonderful people who attend (foodies and winos are good people!) and because so many of the friendliest people we know in the wine industry also participate. It ends up feeling like a family gathering with the best food and wine in town.

To get your hands on tickets and keep tabs on the restaurant/winery line-up in 2016, visit eaglefoodandwine.com.

Walla Walla Wine Country

I don’t even know how to give this place enough credit. The charm, the scenery, the food, the bed and breakfasts, the red, RED wine. Wine so big and bold we could chew it. To me, that is a very welcome thing. I am already planning our next trip.

*Disclaimer: These photos don’t even begin to capture all of the wineries we went to nor do they sum up all of our favorites. They are photos I took either the first day before my wine-euphoria superseded everything else, or the second day before things got a liiiiittle uncoordinated (but still so, so good).

Ah, L’Ecole. Where the host knew us all before we even shook his hand. Where the reserve tasting tour of this old school house made us swoon and where the French very much left their mark many moons ago.Their barrel room. I know…hideous, right?

“Hmm…do I like the 2003 or the 2007 better?” These are choices we should be faced with EVERY day, friends.My winemaker. Probably hating that I took this of him but good thing drinking great wine makes caring about that trivial stuff a low priority.Walla Walla Vintners. Wait until you see this next one……Exactly.A fun pit stop before lunch.Then there’s THIS guy you may recognize. At Sleight of Hand Cellars.We wrapped up our wine tour with a glass of this scenery, at Pepperbridge.

2015 Pumpkin Wine Release

This is a fun one, friends. If you get into the fall season at all you probably embrace the pumpkin theme as a backdrop for life right now. Our Pumpkin Wine runs with that. As with any vintage of wine, every year is completely different and it typically takes two years from start to bottle, plus a lot of extra steps (we roast every pumpkin before throwing them into fermentation). This year the result is a sweeter, spicier wine than last year’s (think clove and pumpkin pie spice, not hot sauce).

This specialty goes for $24/bottle. Email me at crystalpotter@potterwines.com to order or come down to either of the farmers’ markets in Boise on Saturday, October 31st to pick up a bottle.

Like this:

Aspiring and professional winos, entry-level and expert foodies: If you weren’t at Savor Idaho last Sunday you missed out! Although, tickets sold out early once again so even if you wanted to be there maybe you couldn’t, which means your lack of attendance may not have been extreme poor judgment on your part. Let’s go with that. Because I do like you and want to continue to believe you’re a good decision maker.

Potter Wines returned for our second year as Savor Idaho vendors. Before that, my winemaker and I had attended as consumers for numerous years and from that perspective we knew someday when we opened up shop we wanted to be a part of this event. So, armed with Riesling, our “hot” wines, the Jalapeno Wine Lemonade and our Booth Babe, Tony – we took to the gorgeous Idaho Botanical Garden for another top-notch event.

Photo courtesy of Idahobotanicalgarden.org

If you’re unfamiliar with this occurrence, Savor Idaho is a wine and food event which highlights a noteworthy selection of Idaho wineries and restaurants. You purchase your ticket (well ahead of time, in case you skimmed over the above and didn’t catch that important piece) and once inside you are greeted with a commemorative wine glass and a handy food tray. These two things are imperative to your experience at this event and will be attached to you at all times. If you can’t handle that part I’m afraid you do not qualify as a potential attendee. Please spend this next year practicing at home and try again in 2016.

You will be exposed to all the wine you can drink and a vast array of food from chefs who know what they’re doing. Each winery is typically paired alongside a restaurant or caterer, which makes a lot of sense both for consumers and vendors: With all that wine to drink people need access to good food or else things get sloppy (no rookies, please). And it makes for some great networking on our side of things, too.

This year the format was a bit different than last and the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission did a fantastic thing in teaming up with the Boise Co-Op Wine Shop to sell select wines by the glass (or Jalapeno Wine Lemonade). The fun and hip Bodovino was also there this year to pour samples of rare and “experimental” wines which we wineries weren’t already serving in our own booths. So naturally, this was a perfect fit for our Pineapple Jalapeno Wine.

We set up our booth quickly. Thanks to showcasing our products at two farmers’ markets every Saturday, we’ve become quite efficient at this. Here are a few photos of the calm before the wine-loving storm. Vendor booths take up a good portion of the grounds at the garden, so while you sip on Idaho wine and sample Idaho fare you also get to wander around one of Idaho’s most impressive attractions.

After chatting for a while with everyone I realized I was really slacking on my photography duties. So I snapped a few photos before we returned to our post.

The Boise Co-Op Wine Shop set up in the Cottage to sell bottles (and pouches!) of wine as well as select wines by-the-glass.

Once back at our booth, we spoke with many individuals from the media/trade and as we approached 2 pm, when the public was due to enter, we glanced over and watched this line grow by about 20 people a minute.

Let the games begin!

From 2 to 6 pm we poured for, laughed, and spoke with some returning but mostly new faces. Many had heard of us before although most were new to the Jalapeno Wine Lemonade since we just released it earlier this spring.

We were also paired up with possibly the most fitting restaurant/caterer there, Kanak Attack. They were sampling their seriously delectable pork street tacos, which went un-shockingly well with our wines and lemonade. Happy people = happy vendors!

Pretty sure I went home smelling like street tacos, sunscreen and lemonade. Perfection on a Summer Sunday!

Rumor was the Wine Shop sold out of all our products, which we confirmed later was true. No complaints there.

We want to give a big shout-out to Moya and her team at the Idaho Wine Commission for putting on another terrific event! Sometimes it takes a village to bring the right people together and Moya’s village is the kind you could confidently leave your first-born with and they would return your baby to you with an enviable work-ethic, above-standard expectations and impressive hygiene. Pretty sure that’s who I want running this show.

So last weekend was kind of big deal, wasn’t it? Lots of food and wine, people and conversations, family and friends. Oh and then Easter was somewhere in there too. I’m only kidding, please don’t whack my hand with a ruler and make me spell God on the blackboard 1000 times. (Insider joke – I grew up Catholic.) Easter was terrific too, but for blog-intensive purposes I’m referring to opening day at The Boise Farmer’s Market last Saturday.

Waiting for 9 am…

Despite the chilly morning, the turnout from the public and participating vendors was impressive! Last year my winemaker and I were just visiting vendors at this market but we loved it so much we adopted it. This year we’re back as full-fledged members and we’re there every Saturday (with the exception of two – one for grape harvest/crushing and one for a family vacation). To be honest, as much as we enjoyed three months of not setting up a canopy every Saturday, I missed the market with all its people and its bounty and its energy. You really do have to be a people person to enjoy working at a market every week. Plus I get all my produce shopping done for the week by 9:30 AM.

Here’s how this works for us every Saturday morning:

We arrive by 7:30 AM to set up our booth. Any later than that and we aren’t allowed to drive in directly to our spot, which means we must haul everything by foot from the parking lot. Not fun if you’re carrying cases of wine and tables and a 10’ by 10’ canopy before you’ve finished your coffee.

Our mobile tasting room.

Once we’re all set-up, I usually walk a couple blocks to Alia’s for one of these amazing sandwiches and a coffee for Von:

Manhattan Morning bagel sandwich. So good! Too bad I was saving my belly for something else later…The nice man making the sandwich bought a couple bottles of wine, which meant in the end I got paid for the bagel and coffee!

Once my winemaker’s fed, I go shopping. Vendors can’t sell to the public until the opening bell rings precisely at 9 AM, but we can sell to other vendors. Often this is the only time vendors have to step away from their booths, so it’s not uncommon to see everyone chatting. Last Saturday I was overjoyed to learn one of the farmers was selling duck eggs.

These rich, beautiful babies are twice the size of chicken eggs and packed with nutrients. I love the taste, but not everyone does. I’ve heard people describe it as gamey, which is probably why it appeals to me. Give me elk or deer over chicken or beef any day. Gross, right? This trainer eats wild stuff.

Speaking of wild, the booth across from us had about six kinds of mushrooms which I became fascinated with. You’ll only find these kinds of things at the market.

So I went home with a bag of one kind for my girl friend and a bag filled with this thing to cook later that evening for dinner:

A giant oyster…mushroom that is. Turns out the oyster mushroom is my new favorite fungi.

How do you go about cooking this, you ask? I was instructed by the mushroom guy to drizzle it with olive oil, throw some herbs on top and roast it whole in the oven at 425 for 20-25 minutes or until the outer leaves were crispy. Back at home that evening I did exactly that and barely managed to share with the hubby.

Now I know a few of you are thinking about calling your reading session quits right about now. I get it, you’re thinking “You’re disgusting. Where’s the wine? I read your blog because of wine, woman!” I hear you. So about that…

We aren’t the only winery at The Boise Farmer’s Market (there are actually two to three besides us, depending on the weekend). Our good friends over at Seven Day Wines are also members and we love their faces and their vino. So after my major ‘shroom geek-out I hopped over there to take a couple photos of their booth. If you haven’t checked them out yet you should. Seven Day Wines is owned by Angie Shaltry of Periple, so if you’ve had any of her parent company wines you already know she’s good at making the juice. Tuesday Night White is a crowd favorite.

Back at our booth, it was time to wait for the masses. We poured the usual line-up of Jalapeno Wine Lemonade, both kinds of Jalapeno Wines and our Riesling. Since wine sales typically pick up after 11 AM (and often times our booth is a fun cloud of excitement until closing bell at 1 PM), I hurried over to one of my favorite mobile makers-of-delicious-things (aka: food truck) so I could fuel-up before the crowd came.

Ah, Funky Taco. How I missed your Bahn Mi Mi!

This taco is worth waiting for. Yes, there’s tofu. But before you write it off, let me just tell you that if my dad and winemaker both sign off on this thing with all its tofu-ness, there’s something to it. Try it the next time you see Funky Taco near you!

I think I’ve given you a few reasons to go check out this spectacular market. You can find Von, me or Tony (he’s our hired booth babe) there every Saturday through September. For more info on where else you can find us pouring, check out this Calendar of Events post!

Oh, and in honor of Easter, these pretty Easter Lilies were there too.